Rotary fluid clutch



Dec. 14, 1937. w. N. EDDINS.

ROTARY FLU ID CLUTCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 9, 1935 WNEDmRI SW em 6.0% I

Patented Dec. 14, 1937 UNITEVDASTATES PATENT OFFICE- 2 Claims. (01. 192- 61) My invention relates to devices for the transmission of power and more particularly to the clutch mechanism employed therewith such as maybe controlled by hydraulic means.

It is an object of the invention to provide a clutch or transmission which is capable of application in such way as to obtain a large variety of speeds in the transmission of power.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clutch of this character which may be operated in either direction by the change in the position of the liquid inlet or change in direction of rotation of the applied power.

Another object of the invention is to provide I a control valve wherein the changes ofspeed may be accomplished gradually and smoothlyso that there will be no shock upon the mechanism.

It is desired to provide a device of this character in which the speed ratio may be varied at will and governed by theamount of fluid allowed to escape from the clutch mechanism.

It is further desired to provide a clutch or transmission of the kind indicated which is en:-

tirely submerged in the liquid or other fluid which is employed.

In the drawings herewith, Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section through a. device embodying my invention as seen in the line l-l of Fig. 2.

r Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the plane 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3- is a broken sectional detail taken on the plane 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In carrying out my invention I provide a housing which may be used asa container for the liquid as well as a protecting means for the op-:

erating mechanism. Such housing is shown as being made up ofa hollow cylindrical casing l,- having end plates 2 and 3 thereon closing the ends of the casing and being held in close sealing contact therewith by cap screws 5. The end plate 2 is formed with a central opening therein through which the driven shaft 5 may extend. Said shaft is journaled in an anti-friction bearing. 6 and a stufling box of ordinary construction including packing 1 and gland 8 is employed to form a fluid sealabout the rotating shaft.

The opposite end plate 3 is also provided witha central opening within which the drive shaft 9 is mounted, said plate having an anti-friction bearing ID for the shaft and a stuiiing box ll forming a seal about the shaft as was described in the case of the plate 2. The driven shaft 5 is arranged to be driven from the drive shaft 9. with which it is in mi alignment. The inner end of the driven shaft 5 is keyed at I2 to the housing l3 which is made up of a plate M, the annular ring l5, and the opposite end plate 16 to form a closed housing having an annular chamber H in the center thereof. This chamber is best seen in Fig. 2 p and is arranged to receive the rotor head l8 which is fixed to the drive shaft 9 Either shaft 5 or shaft 9 may be used as the drive shaft. 10

, The. casing I3 is suitably supported in the shank 20 which is carried by the end plate 3 by means of a bearing 2| so that the entire housing I3 is rotatable with respect to the shank 20 of the enlarged casing I. The bearing 2| is car- 15 ri ed by an extension 22 on the plate l6 and this extension also carries a stuflingbox 23 and the bearing whereby the shaft 9 may rotate relative to the end plate It or the housing l3.

- It is intended that liquid disposed in the cham- 20 her 29 which is the inside of the casing I will be drawn into the housing I3 and discharged therefrom depending upon the relative speeds of rotation which are desired between the drive shaft 9 and the driven shaft 5. In order that 25 the liquid may be drawn in and discharged from the housing 13 the inlet and outlet ports 30 and 3| are provided. In view of the reversible na- I ture of the transmission orclutch these ports may be alternatively used as either inlet or out- 30 .let ports.

The rotor head I8 is peculiarly formed with an annular portion 34 which is best seen in Fig. 1 and projecting from this portion are the arms 35 which form teeth. These arms are peculiarly 35 formed as seen in section in Fig; 2 with the beveled faces 36 and 31 on either side thereof which meet in an apex 39 which forms the inner edge of each of the arms 35. These arms 35 are spaced apart to form pressure chambers 40 and 40 as seen in Fig. 2 a plurality of these chambers areformed. It is to be understood that any desired number of arms 35 may be provided in orperipheral face of the arms 35 will form a close contact with the inner surface of the ring l5.

It is the object of the invention to draw liquid into this chamber l1 when there is relative rota- 50 tion between the rotor head I8 and the housing l3 so that it is desirable to discharge any liquid which may be in-the chamber between the arms 35 as these arms pass the outlet 3|, and as the arms pass in front of the inlet 30 it desired 55 [movement and the apex to draw liquid into the area or chamber 45 between the arms 35. To accomplish this periodic discharge and filling of the chambers the wheel 45 is provided inside of the chamber l1 and in Fig. 1 is shown as carried by a stub shaft 46 pcsitioned in an opening 48 in the end plate ll of the housing It. This wheel is peculiarly formed as seen in Fig. 2 with teeth or-prongs l! which are shaped so that they will mesh with the curved faces 55 and 31 of the arms 35. As seen just to the left of the center line of Fig. '2 with arms 35 rotating counter-clockwise the particular tooth 45 is passing into the chamber to complete the discharge of the liquid from the chamber out through the outlet 3|. As this tooth 49 moves across the vertical center line position the chamber 50 is substantially filled by the tooth after the liquid has been discharged, The shoulder 5| which constitutes the end of the outlet ll serves to seal off the chamber 55' as it passes beyond the outlet 3|. When this same chamber 50, however, moves beyond the shoulder 52 which constitutes the beginning of the inlet 30, the tooth 41 is being withdrawn from the chamber as seen just to the right of the center line in Fig. 2. The

tooth withdraws from the chamber because of the fact that the stud shaft 45 is eccentric as regards the drive shaft 9. h

At the instant the tooth 4! begins to withdraw cm the chamber 50 the chamber passes over the inlet 30 and a charge of liquid is drawn into the chamber. .This chamber becomes larger as the tooth withdraws and the maximum size chamber is seen at 54.

As the tooth 41 moves away from the arms 35 it is desired to trap the liquid in the chamber 54 and with this in mindan intercepting block 55 is positioned in the chamber l1 and carried by the end plate N. This block 55, as seen in Fig. 2, is in the form of a crescent which is peculiarly designed so that the end of the teeth 41 will pass the inner peri heral surface .55 thereof with Just sufiicient clearance to permit free of each of the arms 35 will similarly pass the outer peripheral surface 55, so that a seal will rotating arms and the rotating teeth.' So long as the inlets and outlets of the housing are open there will be a churning effect of the liquid, it being drawn in through the inlet 30 and discharged through the outlet 3|, so that no movebe a tendency to restrain the teeth from entering the chamber between the cl then all of the chambersbetween the arms 35 will be filled with liquid and because of the interceptor member 55 the liquid cannot flow from the inlet side over to the outlet side so that the rotor head i8 will be locked to the wheel 45 and the entire mechanism'will rotate as a unit. This will result in a direct drive from the drive shaft 9 to the driven shaft 5. If some leakage is permitted there will be relative rotation and the amount of relative rotation can be definitely and easily controlled by adjusting the amount of a in the chambers 45 ofthe driven shaft 5 be formed with boththe Needless to say if the inlet and outlet are both liquid which is allowed to enter or discharge from the housing l3. It seems obvious that an infinite number of speed change ratios may be obtained with a device of this sort. f

In order to control the inlet and outlet of liquid to the housing I: the ring valve 55 has been provided. This valve is mounted on theannular bearings 5! on the outside of the shank 25 and is provided with a sealing face 52 which is arranged to abut against the endplate ii of the housing I: in order to completely cover the inlet and outlet to the casing. This arrangement is shown in detail in Fig. 3. This ring'valve'is arranged to be moved longitudinally of the drive shaft 9 to either completely seal the inlet and outlet or to permit such transfer of liquid as is desired depending on the speed ratio required between the drive shaft 5 and the driven shaft 5.

In order to operate the ring valve 50 a plurality of control rods may pass through the end plate 3 and carry suitable rollers 55 to abut'against the flange 61 of the ring valve in order to apply pressure to it and hold it securely against the face of the plate ii to seal off the inlet and, outlet. It should be noted that while there is no rotational movement of ring-valve 05 relative to casing I, rbllers 56 are used to minimize frictionto the slight movements that take place between rods 55 and ring valve" when the device is in use. It is apparent that other suitable thrust connections between rods 55 and ring valve 50 may be utilized; It is also apparent that when the pressure is released from the rods 55 the compression of fluid will cause the valve to move awayfrom the end plate It and permit discharge or transfer of the liquid and. a consequent reduction in the rate of rotation of the driven shaft 5. h

In order, however, that the come displaced, a small spring 55 may be used to connect a rod 65 with the ring valve 55 and these springs may serve to prevent substantial relative rotation of the ring 55.

While reversal of the direction of the rotation may be accomplished by reversing the drive shaft 5, a reversing; mechanism 15 has been shownas mounted inside of the casing I. This reversing mechanism may be operated in any desired manner so that the driven shaft 5 may be reversed without reversing the drive shaft 5.

The invention contemplates broadly a power parts may not betransmission or clutch which will havev an infinite number of speed ratios and which can accord- 'ingly be controlled'by the inlet and outlet of the actuating fluid with which the casing I is filled, in such a manner that the relative rotation between the drive and driven shafts will be controlled by the aniount of liquid surging through the mechanism. The considerable volume of actuating liquid in the casing I serves not only to lubricate the parts but also to provide a cooling medium therefor. The device operates upon the particular configuration of the rotor head it and the arms 35 thereon in combination with the configuration of the wheel 45 and the inter-.

cepter head 55. 1

What is claimed is:

' 1. A device of thecharacter described including an outer casing adapted to be filled by a liquid, a drive shaft extending into said casing, a driven shaft extending from said casing. a rotor d on said drlve'shaft, a housing onsaid driven shaft. a toothed wheel mounted eccentrically of in said housing contacting with the outer ends oi the teeth on said wheel and the inside of said rotor head, and separating said housing into two chambers, a fluid port in each of said chambers, a passage from each of said ports leading directly to the exterior of said housing, a valve for said ports, means to adjust said valve to regulate the volume of intake and discharge of liquid by said wheel and rotor head to thus control the relative rotation of said driven shaft by said drive shaft.

2. A device of the character described including an outer casing adapted to be filled with a liquid, a drive shaft extending into said casing,

a driven shaft extending from said casing, a housing on said driven shaft, a rotor head on said drive shaft constructed with longitudinally extending spaced arms which fit against the inner peripheral surface of said housing, a wheel mounted eccentrically of said housing and formed with teeth which mesh with the arms on said rotor head, an intercepter head in said housing contacting with the outer ends of the teeth on said wheel and with the inner surfaces of the arms on said rotor head, and separating said housing into two chambers, a fluid port, in each of said chambers opening to the interior of said casing, a ring valve adapted to slidably cover said ports, means to adjust the position of said valve to regulate the volume of intake and discharge of liquid by said wheel and rotor head to thus control the relative rotation of said driven shaft by said drive shaft.

' WILLIAM N. EDDINS. 

